What Do You Want to Do?

From the Salinas Californian (and see the video interview on YouTube): What leads to success in life? One of the most important factors — even more so than intelligence — is emotional health.

It’s lack of emotional health that leads some kids to join gangs. It’s why many use drugs or become pregnant too young. So says Bob Brunson, a licensed marriage and family therapist who manages the Monterey County Behavioral Health Services Department.

In the following interview, Brunson explains the critical importance of raising emotionally healthy children.

“I want our community members to understand that they are the most important actors in making positive change,” says Jose Arreola, the recently appointed Community Safety Manager for CASP and the City of Salinas.

Jose was interviewed by CASP member Stacy Hughes for the Californian's Saturday edition.

“Violence is a learned behavior,” says Siobhan Greene, the Exeucitve Director of Voices For Children - CASA. “So are kindness, respect and empathy.”

In the latest of the Californian's continuing series of stories on CASP and its members, Siobhan explains the critical difference made by Court Appointed Special Advocates, volunteers who stand by -- and speak up for -- children in the foster care system.

"In the U.S., nearly half of all young people between 10 and 18 years live in situations that put them at risk of not living up to their potential because they don’t have enough positive adult involvement."

So says Kathi Speller, Executive Director of Community of Caring Monterey Peninsula, which provides mentoring programs and other services to youth.

But there's reason for hope, says Kathi -- if we just do what we know works.

By Jeff Mitchell at the Californian: Today, I thought I’d share a story about a man named Damian Trujillo. Some of you may know Trujillo as the high-profile TV reporter who works for KNTV-NBC in the Bay Area. But probably only a few of you know that Trujillo started out as a man of more distinctly humble roots — a man who once worked the fields in and around Greenfield with his family.

The Community Alliance for Safety and Peace (CASP) meets the first and third Wednesday of the month. At our meetings, we share information on what's being done by CASP and its member organizations as we work towards our goal of a more peaceful future.

Meetings go from 7:00 to 8:30 am at the Salinas City Elementary School District office at 840 S. Main St., Salinas (click for a map). Please check our event calendar to confirm the details for a meeting you plan to attend.